


you're not the one

by heartcondemned



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, Crack, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fights, First Dates, First Love, First Time, Fluff, Heartbreak, Humor, Jealousy, Light Angst, Mutual Pining, Possibly Unrequited Love, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-18 09:53:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29116299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartcondemned/pseuds/heartcondemned
Summary: How to make your lifelong crush jealous and like you back? Easy.Fake date one of his friends.
Relationships: Miya Atsumu/Reader, Suna Rintarou/Reader
Comments: 32
Kudos: 173





	1. Chapter 1

You loved Suna first.

Ever since your first morning at pre-school; when you were a crying, knock-kneed mess in the corner with snot running down your face, and he was the only person who approached you, holding his favourite teddy bear out for you saying you could play with it so long as you promised to look after it. You held it to your chest and stared in awe at the chubby little boy in front of you, smiling so widely his eyes disappeared into crescent moons, flashing crooked milk teeth. Don't ask you how you knew, but you were certain that after this you would be bonded for life.

From then on, you were attached at the hip. You were his only friend and he was yours, too wrapped up in your own world to try and make friends with the other kids who often poked their nose into your make-believe games and tried to join in. After a while and many futile attempts at involvement, they simply left you alone.

When you were little children, there wasn't much difference between Suna and your's personalities; both loud, both boisterous and both mischievous to the point where it drove your parent's insane. But aren't all kids like that? Your families gave you the moniker 'The Terrible Twins' because of your likeness and bad habit of getting into trouble at every corner.

Back then, you loved him in the immature way all children love their favourite possession. To you, he was like a prized doll or teddy bear that you cherished; the two of them linear. When you're young and egocentric, you think everything on earth was put there for you; with Suna, this couldn't have been more truthful. Even after you grew out childhood.

Your parent's arranged regular playdates for you on the weekends, because only seeing each other during school hours wasn't enough. You'd flit between houses depending on each family's work schedule, though it was usually you going to his house more often. He had a treehouse in his back yard, which was just the coolest thing ever to two six year olds.

Only in elementary school did you become less tangible, developing your own personalities. Suna turned to the opposite direction, reverting into a quiet shell that was so unlike his chaotic toddler self. He hardly spoke in class, avoided interaction with classmates unless absolutely necessary and kept to himself where possible.

You didn't change much. Obviously you were no longer a wild child but you didn't become meek like your best friend. You always joked it was a good thing Suna had you to balance out his coyness, to which he would always reply, so sharply witty for someone his age, "That's supposed to be a good thing?"

It became apparent that Suna wasn't shy, as such; when people spoke to him he would make conversation back, he wasn't socially awkward or cripplingly terrified of human interaction, he was simply reserved. In a way it was actually beneficial, because you would talk his ear off about all manners of things and he'd studiously listen, no matter how silly the topic.

Despite the differences shifting between you both, you still remained best friends throughout your elementary and middle school years. Weekly sleepovers were still a thing and you'd still go to each other's houses after school; but instead of playing with toys or creating fantasy worlds, you'd do homework, watch TV or play on your games consoles. The older he got, the less Suna liked going outside and doing things like exploring or riding bikes. You didn't mind. As long as you were close that was all you cared about.

Your first year of high school was when everything changed.

The first adjustment was that you were placed in different classes which had never happened before. You were counting on using Suna as your safety crutch as you'd navigate through Inarizaki High School together, but you never got the chance. The only time you got to see one another was at lunchtimes and after school.

Then Suna decided to join the volleyball team since he'd been playing since middle school, while you joined the yearbook club. When you told him about this, Suna almost died of laughter; asking why you'd join such a nerdy club when generally speaking you were outgoing and social. You'd shoved his shoulder harshly and told him it was because you hated sports- he fully well knew this. That's just your best friend; he can sometimes be so casually cruel without realising it.

The third big change was that Suna started getting friendly with the boys on the team. He'd never had the opportunity to make other friends in middle school, he didn't have the effort to approach people and talk to them; but when these boys seemingly fell into his lap, everything slotted into place perfectly for him.

It sounds bad, yet it wasn't really. Suna didn't forget about you and tried to include you in all their activities too, obviously feeling negligent if he didn't. He'd invite you to their practises or ask if you wanted to join with them if they ever went to eat. At first you felt like an intruder, but the team reassured you they liked having you around- and that any friend of Suna's was a friend of theirs. When you glanced over at him as they announced that, he smiled really softly, finding your hand under the table to squeeze it.

The final and biggest change was that you realised you were in love with him.

It wasn't a huge revelation; a lightbulb moment that made you rethink your entire existence. It didn't come to you with any particular force or jaw-dropping realisation. You were sitting at your dining room table doing homework and you happened to look up at him, his face framed by the golden afternoon light coming through the open door and you thought contentedly to myself: _I really love you. I always have._

Surprisingly, nothing changed in your friendship after that. You didn't act any differently around him or suddenly become shy, you'd known him since you were still in diapers so nothing regarding Suna could embarrass you _that_ badly. You interacted as normal, because you'd always loved him and this changed nothing. You weren't even particularly bothered about him discovering how you felt, you were so sure that nothing would ever force a wedge between you because you'd been friends for so long.You knew Suna loved you too, even if it _was_ only as a friend. And you were content with that.

Until it just wasn't enough.

Because you carried on as normal; you became hyperaware of instances where he would take your hand in his, or he'd give you a piggyback, pat your head or put his arm around your waist playfully, and you were struck with sudden cognisance that you wanted it to be _real_. That you wanted him to look at you the way you looked at him, for these friendly moments to mean something more. You felt terribly greedy not being satisfied, but these newfound feelings snuck up on you in a way you weren't expecting.

Maybe telling yourself you were content with just friendship was a complete lie you convinced yourself of to stop getting hurt in future.

***

Your second year at Inarizaki begins uneventfully. As expected, you're still not in the same classes this year but since you made it work last year it doesn't concern either of you greatly. During the first week, you see Suna at lunchtimes and that's it; he doesn't have time after school because of volleyball obligations and you're busy helping introduce the newcomers to the yearbook club so both of your schedules are packed. However, on Saturday after practise, he comes to your house- just like the old times.

Suna isn't the most talkative person but sometimes he can be coerced into a lengthy conversation if you ask the right questions. So when you inquire as to how volleyball is going, he launches into a spiel about their new captain- Kita Shinsuke, how hard he's pushing them already and a funny anecdote about Ginjima locking himself in the storage cupboard. You listen, enraptured, staring at him with stars in your eyes as he recalls all of this.

You're laid on your bed; him with his hands behind his head staring at the ceiling with you propped up on one elbow, eyes tracing his side profile. He really is so pretty. It amazes you how he hasn't got a girlfriend yet. You know he has received a few confessions in the past but he tosses them in his bag never to be looked at again. For some reason, this greatly comforts you.

He turns his head suddenly, catching you by surprise. You try to make it look like you weren't just staring at him, aware of how suspicious you must look while your eyes dart around the room faux casually.

"What about your week? Anything exciting happen?"

"Nah." You relax once you know he isn't going to ask why you were looking at him.

"Sounds like you need something more exciting than yearbook club," he snickers, making you hit him with a pillow. He never misses an opportunity to tease you about your choice in extracurricular activity, even if it's all lighthearted.

"I've been very busy with it, for your information," you say haughtily. "We've got loads of newcomers this year."

"Poor kids. They'll soon realise."

You snort. "Like volleyball club is any better. All you do is throw balls around a court and slap each other's asses with towels in the locker rooms."

"I told you never to repeat that," Suna says quickly, looking shifty. "It's just an initiation thing. It doesn't happen every day."

"Sure," You tease. "Now I know why you spend so much time there- _ah_!"

You squeal when Suna leaps across the bed and begins tickling your, deft fingers digging into your ribs knowing exactly where your ticklish spots are. After all, he's been doing this for years. He knows your body better than anyone. You try to wiggle out of his grasp but his grip is relentless, bearing down on you until you have to breathlessly accept defeat.

He flops back down beside you, broad shoulders brushing against yours. Your heart squeezes as you think ' _it could be like this all the time. This could be real_ '.

"Rin?" You speak up, quieter than before. "I really miss you when we're at school."

"I miss you too," he reciprocates. "No one knows me as well as you do."

You could kiss him. In this moment you think he'd let you. Who knows what could develop between you if you did? Your whole life could change if you were brave enough to take this step.

"Will we still be friends when you get a boyfriend?"

"What?" You choke, turning to him in horror. "Why would you say that?"

He shrugs. "Dunno. Just been thinking about it. I mean, not seeing each other because of school is one thing but what if your future boyfriend doesn't like us hanging out? Who would you choose then?"

"You, obviously," you say without hesitation. "I'd chose you above anybody. You know this. What about you? Who would you choose?"

"You, dummy," he says, patting your head. "You don't even need to ask."

 _I love you_ , your mind echoes. _I don't think I'll ever stop loving you_.

"Besides," he snickers. "I don't have to worry about you getting a boyfriend any time soon."

You sit upright, trying not to let the offence evident on your face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugs lazily. "No offence, Y/N, but you're not the type to have a boyfriend. You know guys like you and you turn them down. It's okay not to be ready for it."

He is such a hypocrite! He does the exact same thing! Countless girls have professed their affections and he's turned them down without second thought. Why are you the only one being ridiculed for this? You also know for a fact that he's never had a girlfriend or even any of his first times; _this_ is something he's too shy to initiate. He doesn't even talk to girls!

Your blood is boiling at his little comment, anger steadily rising in your chest like a tidal wave. You have to bite down hard on your tongue to stop something hurtful slipping out. You don't want to lash out at him, not when you've had such a perfect afternoon together.

However, that doesn't mean nothing stupid doesn't come out.

Before you even have time to process what's going through your mind, you blurt it out. The words you can't take back.

"Well I _do_ have a boyfriend, so there."

Suna sits up, his gaze hard and calculating. Usually you would flinch away from his intimidating stare, but you jut your chin out childishly and glare back. He's trying to analyse whether you're telling the truth, looking for telltale signs of dishonesty- the ones he has come to recognise so well. You're so annoyed that you're not scared by his scrutiny.

"Who?" He asks, eyes narrowed.

And that's when you say it. Blurting out the first name you can think of. Possibly the stupidest thing that has left your mouth to date.

"Miya Atsumu."

***

You fall against the gymnasium doors, gasping for air and clutching your chest. Taking a few moments to get your breath back, you squeeze your eyes shut and try to control your laboured breathing. _I really need to get fit,_ you think.

You had to run from your house to the volleyball gymnasium at school before Suna gets here. Since you have his schedule memorised, you know exactly what time he arrives on a morning, so you ensured you would arrive fifteen minutes before him; that gives you enough time to talk to Atsumu and leave.

Sliding the door open, you poke your head around to see if you can locate the blonde twin. Your eyes land on him and Osamu's bags in the corner which means he's somewhere around. You just have to find him. That shouldn't be too hard.

Slipping inside and taking your shoes off, you begin walking across the empty gymnasium. It's weirdly deserted. You thought the boys would have started setting up by now. Suna leaves practise until the last minute, but has already told you before that the other team members always come early. They possess much more enthusiasm than him.

"Hello?" You call. "Is anyone here?"

"Y/N?" Aran questions, looking confused as he steps in from outside. He's carrying the net under one of his arms. "Are you looking for Suna?"

"I'm looking for Atsumu, actually."

He doesn't even attempt to disguise his surprise. "He's in the locker room, him and Osamu have been arguing again."

"Thank you!" You smile, quickly stepping past him and hurrying away. You don't have long, and you need a while to explain yourself and appeal to him. You realise you’re asking a lot of him.

As fate would have it, Atsumu is walking out of the locker room the moment you step into the hall. And he's on his own. Albeit he has a face like thunder and is muttering under his breath, obviously worked up over him and his brother's argument, but when he sees you his expression shifts to one of bewilderment, much like Aran's.

"Y/N!" He exclaims. "What're yer doin' here? Lookin' for loverboy?"

"Looking for you actually," you correct him. Before he can protest, you grab his wrist and yank him into the nearby storage closet. He yelps in surprise as you drag him away, slamming the door shut behind you and resting your back against it. That should give you some privacy.

"What is this?" He demands.

"I need to ask you a huge, huge favour," you begin, widening your eyes for emphasis. "And I know it's a lot to ask, believe me I wouldn't be here if I didn't have any other choice but... I need you to be my fake boyfriend," you say in a long exhale.

Atsumu remains blank for a moment, before realisation mists over his eyes. He does a dramatic double take, mouth falling into an 'O' as he stares at you for further elaboration.

"I know it sounds crazy but at the weekend Suna said something to me and without even thinking I told him you were my boyfriend. I'm really sorry. I said your name because I know you two are friends and you're a pretty cool guy-"

Atsumu shakes his head, holding his hands up. "Woah, woah, save the grovellin' for later. I wanna know what Suna said first."

He hasn't outwardly denied your request yet. Holy shit is he actually considering this?

You swallow awkwardly. "He said I'm not the type to have a boyfriend- that I'm not ready for one."

"Is that it?" He wrinkles his nose. "Wait... you like him, don't you!"

"What? No!" You snap defensively. "No I don't. Why would you even think that?" You thought Atsumu was meant to be dumb! How has he caught on so quickly?

"Yeah you do," he smirks. "You wanted him to be jealous, right? To see what he'd say if he knew you had a boyfriend."

Your silence is the answer he needs. Somehow he has managed to sum it up perfectly with the meagre information available. You wonder how he came to the conclusion that you like Suna so soon?

"So you wanna use me to make him jealous." Atsumu juts his hip out, framing his chin with his forefinger and thumb, looking deep in thought. "What's in it for me if I agree?"

"I hadn't thought that far. I thought you were gonna reject me as soon as I mentioned it."

"Hm..." He hums. "I guess this could work for me too. Aiya keeps rejecting me so she'd get jealous if she saw us together."

You frown. "If she's rejecting you then shouldn't you respect that?"

"Nah, she's just playin' hard ta get. Trust me. I know when a girl likes me."

You refrain from rolling your eyes. Clearly he doesn't. You're not going to argue, especially when he's so close to agreeing. With how desperate you currently feel, you'd get down on your knees and beg for it if he so asked. Since he seems a bit sadistic you're not going to mention this.

"Okay," he says suddenly. Your eyes almost fall out of their sockets. He's actually going to go along with this? "But if I don't think it's workin' then I'm callin' it off. Sound fair?"

"Yeah, of course!" You blunder, brain failing to catch up with the reality of the situation. Miya Atsumu is really agreeing to be your fake boyfriend.

"'Sides, there's worse girls to fake date," he winks. "Yer actually kinda pretty. Shame yer hung up on Suna."

You can't help but snort. "And that is exactly why I would never like you for real."

He looks smug. "I'd be a bit nicer to yer fake boyfriend. It'd be a shame if I told Suna the truth, wouldn't it?"

You freeze, eyes narrowing dangerously. "You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?" He asks lightly. "Guess you better be nicer to me so you don't find out."

Two can play at that game.

"Okay, my dearly beloved." You throw yourself at him in an aggressive hug. He chokes as your arms tighten harder than necessary around his neck. "I'll be the best fake girlfriend you could ever ask for."

He pushes you away by your shoulders. "Yuck. Suna can have ya. I can already see this clinginess is gonna be an issue."

You dust yourself off, trying to wipe down any of his germs that might be lingering on your clothes. "I better go before Suna arrives. Don't want to look suspicious. Thanks again, Atsumu. Really. I owe you one."

"Yeah, that's kinda botherin' me. What exactly do you owe me? Like, what's my reward for this?"

You're completely at a loss what to say. If you don't offer him something good enough will he back down? Even though he's supposedly going to benefit from this too by making Aiya jealous- you don't hold much hope for this, it sounds like she doesn't even like him. She has the right idea. If you had any other option you wouldn't be within a ten foot radius of him either.

"What do you want?" You ask carefully.

His mischievous eyes light up. "One wish. You have to give me whatever I ask for."

"Come on," you whine, stamping your feet. "Wouldn't a food token suffice?"

Atsumu folds his arms over his chest, smirking. "One wish," he repeats.

"Fine. And if this doesn't work and you're not convincing enough, you owe me one wish too."

"What?" He chokes. "'Course it's gonna work! I'm gonna be the best fake boyfriend the world has ever seen!"

"Something tells me the competition isn't going to be challenging," you deadpan. "Now I _really_ have to go. I've wasted enough time talking to you."

As you're discreetly slipping out of the closet, Atsumu sticks his head around the door and yells, "See you on Monday, babe!"


	2. Chapter 2

You don't see Atsumu until lunchtime the following day. It's not that you've been avoiding him as such- actually that's exactly what you've been doing. Suna too. You can't face either of them right now. Why couldn't you have kept your big mouth closed?

In the cafeteria you sit with your friend Nishimiya Aeiri, one of the only girl friends you have. It's not that you don't get along with other girls, but you've always had Suna as your best friend so you never made an effort to get to know them. However, when Aeiri and you were seated next to each other in class last year, it was fate you would become friends. She lived in Busan before moving to Hyogo, since her mom is Korean, so she hasn't had the easiest time making friends either. You're each other's safety pillars.

You think that if you keep your head down in the corner for long enough then nobody will spot you. As a rule the volleyball team sit right at the other end of the cafeteria, or eat in the gymnasium. Since you have your back to the door, you fancy your chances at safety.

Aeiri is avidly talking about some new idol group she's grown fond of and is trying to persuade you to check them out too, gesticulating with her hands to emphasise her point. Even though she's only lived here for a year her Japanese is near perfect, give or take a few words she forgets occasionally. You're trying your hardest to look interested even though your mind is racing, trying to theorise some way to worm out of this deal with Atsumu.

You could just tell Suna the truth. That'd be the sensible option; especially when he suspects you're lying anyway. It'd be humiliating but he'd understand if you explained why you blurted it out. Yeah, he'd never let you live it down but would you rather face that than have Atsumu as your fake boyfriend?

You would. One hundred percent.

So it's settled. After school you'll go to find Suna at volleyball practice and clear the air, coincide with Atsumu then call the whole thing off. You feel oddly at peace with this decision, feeling like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders. You can finally breathe again. Suddenly liberated, you begin listening to Aeiri's chatter with much more enthusiasm, even making a mental note to google this group later.

This peace doesn't last long.

"Y/N!" A familiar voice calls from behind you. Squeezing your eyes shut, you screw your face up in mortification. Why did he have to see you? Why did he have to shout your name?

Aeiri's eyes widen. "Is that Miya Atsumu?"

You're not strong enough to reply.

"There you are!" He exclaims. Without even looking you can tell he's stood right behind you, you can just sense his aura. "I've been looking all over for you, scamp!"

You're going to kill him. You're actually going to kill him.

He sits down heavily beside you, jovially throwing his arm around your shoulder and pulling you into his side. You stiffen up so hard it's a miracle you don't shatter like glass. You grimace as your head is squashed against his chest.

Aeiri's mouth is open wide in shock, eyes flickering between the two of you for some kind of explanation. She isn't the only one staring. You can feel the whole cafeteria's gaze burning into the back of your head. Obviously this was Atsumu's plan all along.

"Is he your-?"

"Annoyance? Yes."

"Boyfriend," Atsumu corrects. "Yep. We're dating! Isn't that right, Y/N?"

You pause, swallowing roughly; both Atsumu and Aeiri are watching you in expectation. Glancing over at Atsumu, you meet his eye before forcing a smile onto your countenance, turning to your friend with a nod.

"That's right," you agree. "We're dating."

Aeiri squeals in excitement. "No way! You're dating Miya Atsumu! You're like a celebrity!"

"Please don't feed his ego," you grumble, but Atsumu is already preening under her praise.

"I know we're an unlikely couple but there's just something about Y/N," he says, looking into your eyes so intently it sets your skin on fire. No boy has ever looked at you like this before, not even Suna. It actually seems like he's gazing at you adoringly, how a real boyfriend would. Though it makes you sick to your stomach, you have to play along- after all this was your idea. You lean into his shoulder and sigh, one that could be mistaken as happiness or desperation.

"This is amazing!" Your friend says wistfully. "I'm so happy for you both! Does anyone else know?"

"Ah, we're trying to keep it a secret-" you begin, before Atsumu cuts you off.

"We're planning on telling people today," he grins. "We made it official at the weekend so we might as well, right?"

"Right!" Aeiri nods eagerly. "I'll leave you two alone. I'll catch you in class, Y/N." She bows to Atsumu as she stands up before scurrying away. You wish she hadn't left so quickly so you could've told her to stay. You don't want to be left alone with him.

Once she's gone, you slowly turn to the blonde boy beside you with a murderous glare. "Why did you do that?"

He scoffs, saccharine demeanour dropping completely. "We need to make it believable, idiot. ' _Keeping it a secret_ '? D'ya know how dumb that sounds when the whole point of this is for people to know and be-"

"I get it!" You snap. "You just threw me off guard. You should've at least consulted me before doing something stupid like causing a big scene."

"That's why we're doin' this!" He repeats frustratedly. "No one is gonna know if we sneak around and don't speak to each other. 'Sides, I'm pretty sure everyone saw so we don't need to explain ourselves."

You try to repress your venomous anger. "I wanted to do that on _my_ terms, not yours."

Atsumu smirks. "Guess you just hafta be quicker in future then, princess. Come to volleyball practise tonight, I wanna introduce you to the team."

"I already know the team, you moron! Anyway, I have club until five."

"And volleyball doesn't end until seven," he grins, tapping the end of your nose. "So you have no excuses. I need to tell the team you're officially my girlfriend, right? 'Cause guess who's gonna be there?"

Suna. Of course!

"That's... actually not a totally idiotic plan," You agree with a frown, loathed to compliment him. "Well done, Atsumu."

"Don't go overboard there, Y/N," he grumbles, but you can tell your words mean something to him. "Now let's just get through lunch as a happy couple-"

"Yeah, no chance. I'm going to eat in the libr-"

Atsumu grabs your arm, probably a little harsher than necessary. You look at him in confusion, heart suddenly beating.

"Are ya going to take this seriously?" He hisses. "Or do I have to do all the work? How bad is it going to look if you get up and leave yer supposed boyfriend durin' the middle of lunch?"

He glances over his shoulder and a lazy smirk takes over his handsome features. "Seems like this is workin'. Suna can't stop glaring at us."

***

You're irrationally nervous as you make your way over to the volleyball gymnasium, wiping your sweaty hands on your school skirt in an attempt to calm yourself. You're not worried about Atsumu telling the team, you're petrified that Suna will see right through your act. He knows you better than anyone in the world, he knows when you're bluffing. If he doesn't believe you then all of this will have been for naught.

At the same time, you don't think you _can_ act lovey-dovey around Atsumu, especially when you don't like him that much. From what you saw of him with the volleyball team and glimpses around school he's hotheaded, cocky, arrogant, selfish- and from what you've garnered from Suna, a liar too. All of the traits that you despise most in a person. Why did he have to be the first person that popped into your mind? Literally any other boy in school would've been better. Why didn't you just say someone from the yearbook club that Suna would've had no idea about?

Because you're an idiot, clearly.

You didn't think you'd have to be performing this ridiculous charade in front of Suna so soon. Foolishly, you expected to have more time to become accustomed to this situation before you went anywhere near him. This is all Atsumu's fault. At the time you thought it was a good idea when he suggested it but now you're realising all the fatal flaws. Your cover will probably be blown tonight. And after everyone seeing you in the cafeteria today, it'd be the worst time for this to happen.

All you can do is try to act to the best of your abilities. Thankfully, Atsumu seems eager to fulfil his role as a fake boyfriend. Maybe he's going overboard to show Aiya just what she's missing- which you can assure her is not a lot.

When you arrive at the gym, you peek your head around to see what's going on. It seems like they're currently doing serve drills (you're not entirely sure, all your volleyball knowledge purely comes from Suna) so you suppose it's a better time as any to reveal yourself. Your eyes land on your best friend straight away, heart fluttering with affection as you take in his poor posture and disgruntled expression. Clearly something has bothered him.

"Y/N!" Atsumu yells from across the gym, waving manically at you. You slip your shoes off at the entrance and begin walking over to him, trying to seem unbothered by everyone's stares. It feels wrong greeting the blonde twin before Suna but for the sake of this whole plan, it needs to be done.

"Hey!" You greet him cheerfully, subtly wincing when he hugs you. Ugh. He _stinks_. When you pull away you say under your breath, "Shower before you hug me next time, you sweaty freak."

"Believe me there won't _be_ a next time if I can help it," he murmurs back, all while keep an upbeat smile on his face. "You finally came!"

The other boys have ceased their practise, nosily watching Atsumu and your's interaction. Clearly they think it's as unfeasible that you're dating as everyone else. If only you'd realised how farfetched this would seem before you asked him.

Atsumu slings his arm around your shoulder and motions to his team mates who have slowly encircled you both, eyeing you like an entertaining attraction in a museum. The only one who doesn't wear an expression of amusement is Suna, his eyes remain flat and his lips pressed together.

"Everyone, meet my girlfriend; Y/N."

"Still can't believe yer datin' my brother," Osamu remarks. "Yer way too good for him."

Ginjima wrinkles his nose. "Yeah. Why him, Y/N? You could do way better."

"Shut yer trap!" Atsumu snaps. "I'm the one she likes. End of." You don't miss the way he smugly looks over at Suna. You feel like strangling him. Could he make it anymore obvious?

"When he told me he'd always had a crush on me and begged me to give him a chance, I admit I was a bit hesitant; but I'm so glad I did," you coo, pinching his cheek harshly.

Atsumu stiffens yet doesn't miss a beat. "Well someone had to ask ya out before ya died a spinster."

You smile sickeningly at him and wrinkle your nose exaggeratedly, hoping the palpable waves of dislike rolling off of you aren't too obvious.

"Since no one else was willing to give you a chance I thought I'd take one for the team."

"Ain't she just the most adorable thing you've ever seen?" Atsumu chucks you under the chin.

"How long have you guys been dating?" Ren asks interestedly.

At the same time you say, "A week," Atsumu blurts out, "A month." You stare at each other in faint horror.

"What he means is; we were talking for a month before he finally asked me out," you fumble quickly, Atsumu slumping in relief. You don't miss the way Suna's eyebrows raise up. "We've been officially 'dating' for a week."

"What happened to Aiya?" Osamu asks bluntly. You hide a choke behind a cough. Atsumu is on his own with this one.

"Well, y'know," he rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "She kept turnin' me down so I decided it was time to move on."

Aran turns to Suna. "Did you know about this?"

"No," he says quietly. His eyes have not left you once.

"As long as you don't let this new relationship affect your performance on the court, I'm happy for you," Kita inclines his head. "It'll do you good being with someone sensible to bring you into line."

"Hey!" Osamu protests. " _I_ keep him in line."

"No, you stir him up."

"Don't worry," you smile, putting your arm around Atsumu's waist. "I won't distract him from his volleyball obligations. We've already talked about it."

Kita smiles faintly. "I'm glad. Then I have nothing more to say on the matter."

"Coulda acted a _bit_ more enthusiastic," mumbles Atsumu, earning him a sharp nudge in the ribs from you.

"Can't believe any girl finds you appealing enough to go out with you," remarks Ren. "Does Y/N know how much you stink after practise?"

"Believe me, I have an idea," you say faintly.

"Can you all stop bullyin' me?" Atsumu whines childishly. "I have feelings too y'know."

"That we don't care about," Osamu quips. Before the blonde twin can lunge at his brother, you grab the collar of his jersey to yank him back, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry, I'll go before I cause any more disruptions. It was nice seeing you all."

"Will you be coming to practise more often?" Suna asks. His voice has a razor sharp edge to it. Now is the perfect time to make him jealous. Whenever he invited you to practise you always made an excuse or straight up rejected the offer, finding it boring and tiresome; but if you make the effort for Atsumu and not him then he's bound to get annoyed by it.

"Yeah," you say, glancing over at Atsumu who nods in agreement. "I'll try to swing by if I'm not too busy with my own club."

"Glad ta have ya," Atsumu ruffles your hair, sounding oddly sincere.

"Cool," Suna nods, before sauntering away.

Once his back is turned, you emit a theatric sigh of relief. "That went better than I expected. You're actually not a bad actor."

"Didn't I say I'd be the best fake boyfriend ever?" He boasts. "Now get outta here before Kita tells me off."

You glare at him. "I'm pretty sure being a fake boyfriend entails being nice to your fake girlfriend."

"Go!"

"Fine, fine, I'm going," you grumble.

Just as you're tying your shoes on at the gym doors, Atsumu calls your name causing you to whirl around, almost hopefully.

"I'll call you tonight!" He yells with an exaggerated wave, so all of his teammates can hear. You reciprocate the gesture and exit the gym.

As you're walking home, you find you have a faint smile on your face as you reflect on his goofy actions. The main thing is is that you weren't caught out as soon as you announced it, so you're extremely happy- pleased Atsumu managed to keep his end of the bargain. You actually find yourself anticipating his phone call tonight, wanting to find out if Suna has said something privately to him about it, showing any indications of bitterness.

Then you stop dead in the middle of the sidewalk, realisation dawning over you.

The idiot doesn't even have your number.


	3. Chapter 3

You're sitting outside at one of the tables eating your lunch with Atsumu under one of the Mongolian oak trees, in clear view of the cafeteria windows so any wandering eyes can watch you if they please. Even from here, you can practically feel Suna's piercing gaze pricking into you.

Atsumu seems oblivious to all the attention, wolfing down his lunch and talking at the same time, spraying crumbs all over you in the most annoying manner possible. He's telling you about some boy setting his tie on fire in Chemistry class this morning, making a show with his hands of how quickly the flame engulfed the piece of cloth. As you watch him animatedly tell his story you can't help but wonder; is this really the boy all the girls seem to fawn over?

It definitely must be because of his looks because his personality falls short.

"Are you even listenin' to me?" He suddenly asks, looking offended.

"No," you deadpan. "All I can hear is your donkey chomping. Would it kill you to get some manners?"

"Would it kill you to _listen_? I'm tryin' to tell you what Suna said last night."

This instantly perks you up. Sitting upright and cupping your chin with you hand, you lean further across the wooden table to hear what he has to say. You pick a makizushi roll out of his bento box and pop it into your mouth, much to his anguished protests.

"You have my full attention," You say sweetly. He rolls his eyes.

"Anyway, as I was _saying_ ; he was really weird about it. He asked why I didn't tell him sooner and that he felt betrayed I kept it from him. Said askin' him first woulda been the right thing to do, like he owns ya or somethin'," snorts Atsumu. You refrain from mentioning that Suna's possessiveness over you sends a little thrilled shiver down your spine. "Said it was weird too- like I don't know that myself. When I asked if you were off limits he said you were."

You can't help but gasp. "He said I was off limits?" A bubble of elation rises in your chest, floating in your throat and choking you with the urge to laugh happily. If Suna really feels like that then surely it means he's jealous? Why else would he say Atsumu should've asked him first. If the blonde twin _had_ consulted him, would Suna have deterred him by saying that he liked you too and that Atsumu couldn't have you? Surely that's the only reason he would say he shouldn't date you.

"This is going so much better than I expected!" You exclaim, grabbing Atsumu's hands excitedly and squealing. "Thank you! I didn't think it would work this quickly."

"Didn't I tell ya I'd get the job done?" He says smugly. "If it's workin' out for you then I need to start getting somethin' in return; Aiya hasn't even so much as looked at me this week. You should go and talk to me about her, see if it riles her up."

"What?" You splutter. "We're not even in the same class! How weird would that look?"

Atsumu cocks an eyebrow. "I didn't realise this was a one-sided agreement."

 _It isn't my fault she doesn't like you_! You want to scream, but you need to stay on his good side. If you're lucky, Suna will come to his senses within the next few weeks and this agreement between Atsumu and you will be ancient history; a black mark on your second year of high school.

"One of her friends is in the yearbook club with me, maybe I can try talking to her and see if it goes back to Aiya?" You suggest. There's no way in hell you're going to walk up to her and start running your mouth about Atsumu. For someone who likes to disparage you for not being prepared enough, he certainly hasn't thought this one out. It'd be like putting a flashing neon sign above your head declaring 'I'm Miya Atsumu's fake girlfriend'. Then you'd both be laughing stocks.

"Yeah!" Atsumu nods enthusiastically, easy to please. "Make sure ya lay it on thick too, whatever you say I'll agree to it if she ask me about it."

You smirk. "You really shouldn't say that."

Atsumu doesn't pick up on your snark, handing you another makizushiroll without second thought. Pleasantly surprised, you take it out of his hands and bite into it, discovering this one is full of salmon. You're envious of how good his lunch looks, compared to your own dismally boring one.

"Does your mom make your lunch?" You ask curiously.

"Nah, 'Samu does."

"Osamu?" You repeat in amazement. "He can cook?"

"Yeah. It's, like, his passion. Even more so than volleyball. He's good, right?"

"Amazing!" You nod. "Hey, if we're fake dating; can one of the rules be that you bring me lunch too?" Before he can protest, already knowing what he's going to say as soon as he scrunches his face up, you quickly amend, "Not every day, maybe once a week?"

"Hm... I dunno," the blonde twin looks off into the distance. "That's a big ask. And it's up to 'Samu not me. Maybe if we make some progress this week I'll think about it."

You want to slap him for being such a jerk but you manage to clench your fists on your thighs, offering him a sickly smile instead. "Thanks. You're a gem."

He looks at you oddly, cheeks flushing ever so faintly with pride. Disgusted with yourself, you actually find yourself smiling.

"You mentioned somethin' about 'rules' if we're fake dating?" He prompts. "I didn't realise there was going to be more conditions."

How is he so perceptive at the worst times? You were going to subtly ease into the topic as not to overwhelm him, frightened he would bolt if you loaded too many asks on him at once. Since he seems willing to talk about it, you may as well get it over with. Better to get this awkward conversation out of the way this early into your arrangement so it leaves little possibility of things becoming complicated in the future.

Bending down, you pull out a notebook and pen from your backpack, slapping it onto the table in front of you. Atsumu looks perplexed, a grain of rice on the corner of his mouth, adding to his overall gormlessness. Without thinking, you wipe it away with your thumb. He blinks at you, suddenly looking bashful.

"I was thinking we could write up a contract," You propose, clicking the pen. "That way we know each other's boundaries and where we stand."

The blonde boy throws his head back with an exaggerated groan. "That's so much work."

"I'm the one writing," you snap. "You just have to tell me what you do and don't agree to."

"Fine," he sulks. "Since you clearly have some rules already, why don't you tell me a few."

"Number one," you say, writing the number down in the margin. "I won't give you any of my firsts."

"What the hell?" He chokes. "Why would that even need to be a rule?"

"Because," you say, struggling to keep your patience. "I don't want you thinking I'll suck your dick so you can go and tell your sleazy friends what I did- and probably make fun of me."

"Jesus, Y/N! I wasn't gonna ask ya to do something like that!"

"Well now we've established I won't. Next rule-"

"Wait, have you had your first kiss yet?" He asks, cocking his head.

Hardening your jaw, you sigh. "Yes I have. I just haven't done anything else."

A smirk plays on his pretty lips. "Who planted one on ya? Or did you do it to them? This is so scandalous."

He mirrors your action of cupping his chin with his hand, resting on his elbow. A warm breeze ruffles the hair out of his face. You're mortified when you realise you think he's beautiful.

He taps the end of your nose. "You're cute when you're embarrassed."

"It's none of your business."

"Don't tell me it was Suna." He groans at your silence. "Really? You wasted yer first kiss on _him_ when it could've been with _me_?"

"What part of 'I won't give you any of my firsts' do you not understand?" You say moodily. "I told him I was worried I'd never have my first kiss and he said he didn't think he'd get his either, so when he suggested we'd be each others firsts it just made sense."

You don't like Atsumu's scathing expression. "How cute," he coos, like it's anything but. You pointedly ignore him.

"Next rule; no physical contact unless I initiate it."

"What?" Atsumu whines. "Yer killin' me here, Y/N. If we're meant to be dating then of _course_ we have to make contact. Are you trying to make it obvious we're faking?"

"It might not mean a lot to you but it does to me," you explain, feeling your cheeks get hot. "When someone touches me I want it to be sincere."

"What if I promise to always be sincere?" He asks, grabbing both of your hands and engulfing them in one of his own. All you can do is stare at him in bewilderment, heart fluttering dangerously against your ribcage. He looks deep into your eyes, smiling softly. It feels like time has slowed completely, encasing you both in this little intimate bubble as you're momentarily lost in his honey coloured irises.

Then he gasps in surprise, pulling a face of utter disgust as he drops your hands. "Ew cooties!"

"You are such a _dick_ ," you seethe as he cracks up cackling, holding onto his stomach and almost toppling over backwards.

"Okay, okay," he says once he's come round. "What's the next rule?"

"We have to go on at least one date a week when it's convenient for us both- and you have to pay."

"What?" He yelps. "No way! Just 'cause I'm the man!"

"Debatable," you mutter.

"Men and women are equal; you should have to pay too!"

"You will always be beneath me," you smile sweetly. "Therefore you have to pay. Do you want to look like a cheapskate in front of everyone? I don't think Aiya would be very impressed."

He's so simple. With a contemplative hum, he agrees with your line of logic and very, very reluctantly accepts the rule; not without forewarning you you'll be going to the cheapest places possible.

"Fourth rule; if we're going to post pictures on social media then we need each other's approval first."

"That's fair," he says, stabbing into his juice box.

"That's it," you say putting the pen down. "Oh, and don't forget to say stuff to Suna whenever possible to make him jealous and tell me straightaway."

He salutes, then inquires, "What about my requirements?"

"You don't get any," you say flippantly.

"Hey!" Atsumu protests crossly, grabbing the pen and notebook so he can take over. "Atsumu's First Rule," he enunciates as he writes it. "Y/N must come to volleyball practise three times a week."

"What?" You screech. "No way! It's so boring!"

He fixes you with a flat stare. "Like our fake dates won't be either. Don't forget Suna is there too, dummy. It works for both of us. Rule number two; Atsumu will walk Y/N to school on the mornings he doesn't have practise. I'll let you know in advance when this is gonna be."

You falter. "Is this really necessary?"

"Yes!" He sounds exasperated. "We'll be walking past Suna's house. When he sees I've replaced him it'll drive him insane, trust me. Third rule; Y/N must come to all of Atsumu's volleyball games- even the practise ones."

"You are such a monster."

He grins goofily. "You've just been watching the wrong person. Games aren't boring when you keep yer eyes on me. Oh, I've just thought of another one! You have to help me with my homework too."

"God," you groan. "And you said _I_ was asking for too much. Fine. Any other demands?"

"I think that's it, I'll let ya know if there's anything else. Hey, what's yer number? I was gonna call you last night but I don't have it."

Your heart skips a beat. "You were going to call me?"

"Yeah," he shrugs. "To tell you about Suna. Pass me yer phone- don't look like that, I'm not gonna _do_ anything."

Reluctantly you hand the device over to him as he puts his name into your contact list, putting a heart emoji next to it. This makes you wrinkle your nose but when he reciprocates the action with your name in his phone, weirdly you don't feel perturbed by it anymore.

"I think this covers everythin'," he declares, signing his name at the bottom of the page with flourish, embellishing it with little hearts. "Thoughts?"

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever," you mumble, taking the pen and signing your own name too. So there it is in black and white; Miya Atsumu and you are officially fake dating. You even have the document to prove it.

"Don't look so sad, I think this is gonna be fun," he says, stretching in a way that makes his school shirt tighten around all of his muscles. You painstakingly tear your gaze away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of staring.

The bell chimes in the distance, signalling the end of lunch. Atsumu grabs his bag and slings it over his shoulder, standing up first.

"Oh, and Y/N?" He says, as a last minute thought. "Don't _actually_ go fallin' for me. It'd complicate things way more."

You smile coldly. "Don't worry, Miya. That is never, ever gonna happen."


	4. Chapter 4

As it happens, you don't have to wait long until you can start fulfilling your end of the bargain. That same day, Aiya's friend, the same one in yearbook club, saunters over to your desk and casually perches herself on the edge. You think her name is Chizue, but decide it's best not to greet her in case you've got it wrong.

"Hey, Y/N," she grins. "I heard something interesting today. Is it true you're dating Miya Atsumu?"

Steeling yourself, you lower your highlighter and fix a forced smile onto your visage. It's so painfully awkward it feels like you're wearing someone else's face. With a short nod, you confirm her inquiry and she gasps in response.

"No way! I thought it was just a silly rumour that one of the boys started to be funny. When did it happen? How long have you been dating? What's he like?" She's leaning closer to you now, long hair tickling your face. This is the most you've ever spoken to her, feeling a little overwhelmed by her sudden barrage of questions. You need to think carefully about each one of these queries, considering about how they will correlate with Atsumu's answers too.

"We'd been talking for around a month," you begin carefully. "And we've been dating for a week but decided to tell everybody on Monday. He's very... well. He's very Atsumu," you finish weakly, unable to think of an adequate objective that sums up the blonde boy.

Chizue grins. "How did you even start talking to each other? You never speak to each other in school- you're not even in the same class."

Struck by sudden inspiration, you sit upright with confidence and a much easier smile graces your features. "We hung out a lot over spring break," the lie rolls right off your tongue. "Suna is my best friend so I went to volleyball practise with him a lot. Atsumu and I started hanging out and we just hit it off right away."

"That's adorable," Chizue pouts. "We were saying today- you and Atsumu are actually a good match, once you get over the initial surprise. You're similar to each other."

Your vision starts going grey at the edges, feeling like you've been struck over the back of the head with an iron pan. "What's that supposed to mean?" You ask faintly. You've never been so mortified in your life. On what planet are you and Atsumu even remotely similar to one another? You're complete opposites, which is why this whole arrangement has been nothing but trouble since the minute you dived into it. It's why you continue to lament over your choice in fake boyfriend.

"You just suit each other, it's hard to explain," she shrugs. "Aiya agreed."

"Aiya?" You ask, ears pricking up in interest.

"Yeah. Her and Atsumu used to be pretty close up until recently- guess we know why now. Say, what's Atsumu like as a boyfriend? Is he really romantic?"

‘Atsumu’ and ‘romantic’ don't even belong in the same sentence, let alone same dictionary. Swallowing down any bitterness, you nod and try to make a lovestruck expression.

"He really is," you sigh wistfully, cupping your chin in your hands. "You wouldn't think it, but he has a really sensitive side. At school he can be a bit of a jerk, he's not like that at all behind closed doors. He's very caring and affectionate. He even cries when we watch romance movies. He's such a sap."

Chizue sticks her bottom lip out in envy. "Now I'm jealous! I always thought he might be. The arrogant persona just doesn't seem like him at all, you know? He has so much hidden depth. You're really lucky, Y/N."

"Don't I know it," you agree, through slightly gritted teeth.

For the remainder of club, Chizue sits beside you and helps you write up some of the posters you're working on. You find her company is actually enjoyable; her nosiness causes her to ask lots of questions about you and Atsumu's fake relationship, meaning you can put a good word in for him, absolutely certain it will get back to Aiya. It seems like Chizue couldn't keep a secret to save her life; this is evident by the way she'll occasionally blurt out the occasional comment about her friends, clap her hand to her mouth and beg you not to repeat it to anyone. You can't help but feel slightly smug. Atsumu owes you one for all of this.

Instead of going straight home after your club, you make your way to the gymnasium where volleyball practise is being held. You agreed to meet Atsumu there tonight as per his request, using up two out of three of your contractual weekly visits. Only one more and you're free.

The boys are in the midst of a game when you walk in, too preoccupied to take notice of your appearance. You take yourself up to the stands to watch the remainder of it, maintaining a respectful distance so you can't be called a distraction. If Suna's stories about Kita's harangues are anything to go by, you never want to be on the receiving end of one of them.

You fixate on Suna for the whole match, watching your best friend dash around the court and expertly guard the net. His body is so lean and flexible, able to move as elegantly as liquid when he's blocking, bending into all sorts of positions that would be unnatural for anyone else. The team on the opposite side of the net curse his proficiency. You're so proud of him it makes your heart swell in your ribcage.

You've seen his progression in volleyball ever since he started playing during the first year of middle school, the difference in his skills in four years is remarkable. He makes it look like he's been playing his whole life, blessed with such a natural affinity for it. He never seemed to enjoy it that much until he joined the Inarizaki team, it seemed like a fire had been ignited in his stomach, burning bright and passionate. Suna never gets as animated as he does on the volleyball court. Seeing him so happy doing something he loves makes you love him even more.

"Y/N!" Your so-called boyfriend bellows at you. Snapping out of your trance, you tilt your head down to see him stood directly beneath the stands, hands on his hips as he looks at you disapprovingly. "I've been trying to get yer attention but ya were ogling Suna."

"Sorry," you shrug. "I only watch the best players."

His mouth drops open in indignation as you grab your bag and head down to meet him. He still looks furious when you greet him with a (reluctant) hug, wrinkling your nose as it gets buried in the sweaty material of his jersey.

"Can ya not make a fool out of me in front of the guys?" Atsumu hisses into your hair. "Suna keeps smirking and it's really pissing me off."

"Your ego shouldn't be so small and easily bruised," you retort. "He's my best friend, that hasn't changed."

"And it never will if ya don't go through with this properly," he reminds you harshly.

You narrow your eyes. "Keep talking to me like that and I won't tell you what Chizue and I were talking about during club."

This does an adequate job of perking him up. He stands tall and looks at you expectantly, an excitable grin stretching across his face, very much resembling an eager puppy. A Golden Retriever, you think. He has the hair for it.

"Not here," you say under your breath as you walk towards the team. "Later."

Atsumu nods enthusiastically, grabbing your hand without thinking and swinging it happily. Freezing, you glance down at your intertwined fingers and feel your heart race rapidly pick up. What did you warn him about initiating physical contact? Does he not respect any of your boundaries? It's not like you can pull away since Suna is now looking over, but you lock this incident away in the vault of your memory, with the promise you'll scold him later.

"Kita really needs to learn to lock the doors so the crazed fans can't come in," Suna drawls, looking directly at you with the corners of his lips twitching upwards in a smirk. Dropping Atsumu's hand without second thought, you lunge towards your best friend and get him in a headlock, knuckling his damp knotty hair. He's strangely passive, never usually letting you manhandle him like this. From underneath your arm, he catches Atsumu's eye and the blonde boy's jaw hardens.

"That's enough," he mumbles, yanking you back by your sweater. You stumble backwards into his chest, his arms protectively wrap around your middle as he rests his chin on your shoulder, glaring at the middle blocker while you can't see him.

Your skin is on fire where Atsumu is touching you, making you want to retch in a mixture of nerves and disgust. You told him not to touch you, that you weren't comfortable being pawed by him when he's practically a stranger; yet here he is, clutching onto you as if you were a prize he wants to show off in front of his friends.

Then it clicks. He's doing it to make Suna jealous. He's doing this for _you_.

(That is absolutely not what Atsumu is doing at all. He can't bear watching you have your hands all over Suna while the smug bastard looks at him triumphantly, eyes gleaming in a way that proclaims ' _I won_ '. Is he jealous? Well, he just might be. He doesn't want to be beaten, this is a competition from here on out.)

Your hands rest atop of Atsumu's as you smile, surprisingly not having to force it. You reach up to pat the side of his face, causing him to glow with pride. He feels like a dog being praised by it's owner, your touch acting as positive reinforcement.

"It's your turn to clean up, Atsumu," Suna says breezily. "You better hurry up before Kita gets pissy again."

"What?" The blonde boy yelps. "I did it the other night!"

"That was on Saturday," deadpans Suna. "It's Tuesday now."

Atsumu grumbles, very reluctant to let go of you, knowing you'll run straight to Suna. He hopes you pick up on his desperation in the way his grip tightens around your waist, whereas you're busy watching your best friend with warmth blooming in your stomach.

"I'll walk you home, Y/N," Suna says. "I just need to grab my bag."

"You better get changed too," you scold. "You stink. Not as bad as Atsumu though." The two of you share a catty laugh while Atsumu frowns. He's not hurt, but he certainly doesn't enjoy being the butt of the joke.

"See you tomorrow, Atsumu," you say, untangling yourself from his arms. He doesn't like how empty they feel without you. You begin walking off with Suna without so much as even looking back at your so-called boyfriend. Immediately you engage in conversation with him, clearly forgetting all about Atsumu altogether.

"Y/N!" He shouts before you disappear. You turn around, trying to stave off your irritation but not doing a good job. "I'll call you."

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever," you say flippantly, looking up at Suna with a smile. "Ready to go?"

He nods, glancing over his shoulder and lazily waving at his teammates who are getting ready to leave too. All except Atsumu. The blonde twin is rooted into place, jaw set hard and eyes narrowed in irritation; unable to decide whether he's more annoyed at you or your best friend. Suna may look unassuming, but he knew exactly what he was doing when he so rudely separated you both. He was reminding Atsumu to know his place, that he will always come first to you. While Atsumu knows this, he doesn't want to be reminded of it.

Osamu shoves a mop in his chest so roughly that a puff of air escapes him upon impact.

"Hurry up," he commands. "I wanna get back in time for _Good Morning Call_."

"Yeah, yeah," grumbles Atsumu, taking the mop so tightly that his knuckles turn white. His twin's eyes flicker down, quirking an eyebrow.

"Ya shouldn't have let him do that," Osamu says. "Shoulda said something."

"What could I say?" He snaps. "She wouldn't listen anyway."

"Isn't she meant to be your girlfriend?"

Atsumu represses a sigh. At first, he considered telling his twin the truth since Osamu knows him better than anyone and he fully expected him to see through the facade immediately. By some miracle he saw nothing suspicious about your relationship and accepted that you and Atsumu are dating. He didn't even ask any questions, which Atsumu found very peculiar. Usually Osamu can never keep his nose out of Atsumu's business, especially when he knows it'll annoy him- with this, he has been uncharacteristically compliant. He didn't even threaten to tell their parents, using it as blackmail to hold over his twin.

"Ya know what she's like," he mumbles.

Osamu offers no other response apart from a thoughtful hum.

***

As you and Suna walk home, it feels like nothing has changed. You could mistake this moment as any point in your friendship; when you were six years old, eleven, fifteen, making you realise that no matter what happens, you and Suna will always care too much about one another to ever let things get in between you. Without thinking, you reach for his arm and link it through yours, his bare skin brushing against yours is enough to send electric currents through your nervous system. He smiles at you, a genuine one that is reserved only for those he truly cares about. You're honoured to be one of the select few.

Suna is in a better mood than he has been since the beginning of the school year, for whatever reason you can't fathom. You're not complaining, catching him in such a good mood is extremely rare so you enjoy it while it lasts. He's so jovial that he starts doting on your more than he has in weeks; bringing you into his side for a hug and putting his arm around protectively around your shoulder. Your body trembles in excitement, the sudden flood of affection you feel for your best friend almost knocks you off of your feet. You love him so much it feels like it's choking you.

"What's gotten you so happy?" You tease, poking his cheek where his dimple would be if he were smiling.

"Am I not allowed to be happy to see my best friend?" He asks sarcastically. He detaches himself from you, taking quick steps forward to widen the gap between you both. With a laugh, you launch yourself into his back and hug him tightly this way, heels dragging on the sidewalk as he continues to walk. You don't see his wide smile.

Suna holds his arm out for you so you can nestle into him again, sighing contentedly. Atsumu and yours fake relationship is completely forgotten. That is, until your best friend brings it up.

"I still can't believe you're dating Atsumu," he remarks quietly. You scrunch your nose up, not wanting your time with Suna to be spoiled by the mention of the annoying twin.

"What about it?"

"You're too good for him," Suna says forthrightly. "He's a jerk."

You're bewildered. "I thought you were friends?"

He lifts one shoulder up in a shrug. "I guess. He's okay in small doses. But I don't like the fact you're dating him."

You press your lips together in a line, trying to suppress your excited scream. Suna couldn't sound more jealous if he tried. If he's protective over you that means there must be deeper feelings involved, right? However, he mistakes your expression as one of annoyance, because he sighs.

"I'm not trying to be controlling; I'm worried 'cause you're my best friend and I don't really trust him. You're too innocent to be involved with someone like him."

"Innocent?" You repeat, furrowing your brows. "What do you mean?"

He shuffles, looking awkward. "You're not really experienced with boys and Atsumu is this womanizer and- I just don't want you to get hurt," he sighs. "Especially not by a guy who you're a thousand times better than."

"I appreciate the concern, Rin." _It makes me love you even more_. "But I can handle myself. Besides, Atsumu isn't _that_ bad." Suna fixes you with a flat stare. You poke the corners of his lips, coercing him to smile.

"Whatever," he looks forward once more. "Whatever happens I'll be there to pick up the pieces."

This promise is enough to make you want to call Atsumu right now and end your fake relationship on the spot. But you've made so much progress tonight that it would be foolish to spite yourself. In a few weeks, hopefully this will all be over and you will have the end result you desire so desperately.


	5. Chapter 5

You wait impatiently on your doorstep for your oh-so-considerate boyfriend who is already five minutes late to pick you up. Anxiously glancing down at your watch, you decide to give him two more minutes and then you'll set off on your own. Honestly, what was the point in offering to walk you to school if he was going to be late, without so much as a warning?

Just as you're about to leave, you spot a familiar crop of blonde hair on the other side of the garden wall. Seconds later, Atsumu collapses against the gate, gasping for breath with a scarlet face. You raise a questioning eyebrow, folding your arms across your chest as you await an explanation.

"Alarm-" He chokes out, holding a finger up as a plea for you to wait. "Late- Osamu- _Jerk_."

"Your alarm didn't go off and Osamu didn't wake you up?" You hazard a guess.

His face lights up. "Exactly! I woulda text ya but Osamu took my phone off charge in the middle of the night and it's dead."

"You're here now," you sigh, locking the gate behind you as the two of you set off walking down the avenue. "But if you're late again then I'll be mad."

"Cross my heart and hope to die, I'll never be late again," he says sincerely, even going as far to make a crossing motion over his chest. The over the top action is oddly endearing. You quickly avert your gaze from him, not wanting to think anymore pleasant thoughts. You're supposed to find him annoying, not cute.

You walk to the end of your street in silence as Atsumu steadily regains his composure, eventually catching his breath. He informs you he ran all the way from his house to yours, almost as if hoping for praise. You sniff indifferently, continuing to give him the cold shoulder. You obliviously miss him pouting at your side profile.

"I need to talk to ya about last night," he announces after some time has passed.

"What happened last night?"

"Ya made me look like a fool in front of Suna," he says seriously, visage devoid of humour. This is weird, usually there's always some trace of mirth on his features; a twinkle in his eye, a subtly raised eyebrow, the corner of his lips twitching in a smirk. You don't think you've ever seen him look so austere.

"Ya shouldn't be so friendly with him."

"What?" You protest. "He's my best friend, of course I'm going to be friendly with him."

"No," he shoots. "That isn't the point of the plan. Yer meant to play hard to get to make him jealous, not follow him around like some desperate schoolgirl."

You pull a face, blood boiling at his harsh (and annoyingly factual) statement.

"Maybe because I _am_ a schoolgirl, idiot," you snap. "If you want to talk about desperate, lets discuss how you've been asking Aiya out ever since last year and she's rejected you every single time."

His cheeks flush angrily. "That's totally different!"

"How?" You explode. "If I'm an idiot for doing this then you're even worse. At least I have a chance with him, there's no hope for you and Aiya."

Atsumu barks out a laugh. "D'ya really think you have a chance? Haven't ya been in the friendzone for thirteen years? Kinda sad if ya ask me."

"Fuck you!" You poke him painfully hard in the chest with your finger, whirling on him with your teeth bared. His own lips are twisted in anger, eyebrows furrowed so deeply they wrinkle his forehead. "You don't know anything about us."

"Yeah I do, with how much ya constantly yap on about him it's like he's third-wheeling with us all the time!"

"Well I wish he was! Then I wouldn't have to put up with you on my own!"

"And ya think I want to be here with _you_?" He scoffs. "I'd rather stab forks in my eyes!"

You grab the front of his school sweater, shaking him slightly. " _That_ can be arranged."

"Unhand me, woman! Yer psychotic!"

"Not until you apologise."

"Like hell that's happenin'-"

A subtle cough from behind you causes you both to freeze in horror, slowly turning your heads to look at who has caused the disturbance. Your heart sinks when you make eye contact with Osamu, his hands shoved deep in his pockets as he surveys you both with his head cocked, almost curiously.

"Trouble in paradise?"

Turning to Atsumu, you let go of his sweater and smooth it down with your hands, trying to eradicate any signs of your scuffle. You smile sheepishly at his twin. Neither of you have an appropriate response. Osamu says nothing further, sauntering past you and whistling a jaunty tune.

Once he's out of earshot, Atsumu turns to you with a glare. Like you're somehow to blame for the argument.

"Nice one, idiot," he snaps. "Now he's gonna be on my ass about why you were tryin' to strangle me."

"Maybe I should've tried harder," you hiss. "You're insufferable."

"You started it!"

"Just get out of my sight."

He begins walking away from you, waiting until there's a considerable distance between you two before he spins on his heel, facing you once more, much to your annoyance. 

"You better still come to practise tonight!" He shouts across the courtyard, pointing a finger at you.

"I'll be there!" You yell back.

"Good! I'd be upset if you weren't!"

"Of course I wouldn't miss it," you snap.

"I'll see you there."

"Yes you will."

You both turn around at the same time, storming off in opposite directions.

***

For the remainder of the day you're in a foul mood, reluctant to talk to anyone or make an effort in class. Aeiri has to gently nudge you to get your attention because you've been staring out of the window for the past five minutes with a scowl on your face, saying you should concentrate on what your teacher is writing on the blackboard because it'll be important for exams. Little do you know Atsumu is doing the exact same thing, mindlessly bending his pencil until it snaps in half, the splintering of the wood garners the attention of the whole class and he has to smile sheepishly and apologise.

You hate the way Atsumu so easily manages to get under your skin, how you're left thinking about him all day when you want to concentrate on literally anything else. Even when you think about Suna, and how happy you were last night when he walked you home, Atsumu's grating voice and blonde head pops into your imagination, setting your teeth on edge.

You consider skipping volleyball practise despite what you promised this morning, then think better of it. The last thing you want is Atsumu to give you another earful about keeping your end of the bargain, you want to prove to him that you can take this just as seriously as him. Maybe even more so.

And just like that, it suddenly becomes a competition of who can be the most convincing party in this fake relationship.

The team is cooling down when you enter the gym, bowing and greeting them from the doorway as you set your bag down and begin untying your shoes. Without thinking, Atsumu gets to his feet and races over to his own bag in the corner, ignoring the confused demands of his teammates and coach shouting at him to not pull a muscle.

You're straightening up when you see Atsumu stood over you, holding something out. Glancing down questioningly, you see he's offering you a KitKat. Your favourite flavour too. All you can do is look at him in confusion, refusing to take it until he gives you an explanation.

"I saw ya had one of these in yer lunchbox the other day so I assumed ya liked 'em," he explains. "'M sorry for being a jerk this morning."

Your gaze flickers between him and the chocolate bar, blinking up at his earnest face as he offers you an uneasy smile. You're ashamed of how overcome with emotion you suddenly feel; all the poisonous anger that has been twisting your insides all day suddenly dissipates, leaving you feeling weightless and endeared by Atsumu's actions.

"Thank you," you say, taking it from him and pulling him into a hug. He's surprised by the sudden contact, he'd fully expected you to throw it back in his face and resume your banshee shrieking, but this outcome is better than he could've imagined. He wraps his strong arms around you, burying his head in your hair and inhaling the scent of your favourite shampoo.

Suna scoffs and averts his eyes, focusing on massaging his calf muscles. Osamu turns to him questioningly.

"Something the matter?"

"He's such a sleaze," the middle blocker mumbles darkly. Although he didn't witness your fight this morning, he gathered something had happened between the two of you when Atsumu was in a terrible mood and his twin brother was pushing all of his buttons to make it even worse, mentioning something about you. Suna was beyond relieved, thinking that whatever was going on between you and Atsumu was finally coming to an end, only for the blonde boy to worm his way back into your graces.

"Want half?" You offer Atsumu as you begin peeling the wrapper away.

"Nah, it's yours," he says, trying not to beam with pride that he managed to defuse you so easily. "'Sides, I can't maintain a body as perfect as mine and eat chocolate too," he winks, patting his six pack.

You snort. "You always have to ruin it, Miya." His face suddenly falls, but you pat his cheek with a smile to assure him you're only joking. With this, he grins so widely it's like you're looking at the sun. Ruffling your hair, he blows a kiss before heading back over to the team to resume the cool down before they go into the next phase of practise.

As you climb up to the stands, you touch your lips and frown when you discover you're still smiling, long after you and Atsumu broke away. You look down at the candy in your hand and feel a twinge in your heart. What a strangely thoughtful gesture, something you wouldn't expect Atsumu to do at all. It's not like he had to, he could've easily continued being childish (like you were going to before he caught you off-guard) yet he decided to the bigger person.

The more you think about it, the more you feel humbled by his actions; this whole time he has been the one making the most effort when really it should be you, seeing as you have the most to gain from this arrangement. He's been consistently trying and you've been throwing it back in his face because of your discomfort, and yet he still tries hard regardless of that. You really owe him one, you're just not sure how you can express it. Obviously saying it outright isn't an option, his ego is inflated enough as it is.

You should try and talk to Aiya at some point, that'll mean the most to him.

Practise doesn't seem as tedious tonight, they're working on improving their serves which you soon discover is Atsumu's forte. He's the best on the team, with an array of different techniques that knock the air out of your lungs whenever he executes them, each one better than the last. You've never noticed before because you've never studied him closely, but he really is amazing at volleyball. Again, you will never disclose this to him but you're seriously impressed. Albeit, although you don't know a lot about the sport, anyone with working eyes can see how skilled he is.

Suna is too, you don't forget. His skills lie elsewhere; throwing off the opponent, analysing their next move so he can prevent them scoring a point, shutting down the opposite team and baiting them. You always thought him and Atsumu were on a similar level, now you're starting to rethink this opinion.

They're all amazing players, that's what makes them one of the best teams in the country. You're so proud that your best friend gets to be a part of something so monumental, that after years of solitude and lurking in the shadows, he has finally found a place where he truly belongs. You can't imagine him anywhere but on the court.

And, as loathed as you are to admit it, Atsumu too.

As if he can sense you thinking about him, the blonde boy looks over at you and gives you a thumbs up. You reciprocate.

An hour later and Kita is dismissing the team for the evening, praising them for their hard work tonight and instructing them to go home and rest since they had an invigorating training session. He pointedly stares at Atsumu, who looks behind him to see if the captain is addressing anyone else.

Suna is on cleaning duty, much to his chagrin; he watches you walk out of the gym with Atsumu, his jaw clenched so hard his teeth creak in protest. When Ginjima asks him what's wrong he doesn't reply, not trusting his voice. What's wrong with him at the moment? More to the point; what's wrong with _you_ , falling for Atsumu?

Osamu says he suddenly remembers he needs to collect his jacket from his locker and tells his twin he'll meet him at home, scurrying back into the gym.

"He was wearing his jacket though?" You say in bewilderment.

Atsumu clucks his tongue. "He's a weirdo. Ignore him."

"It must be part of the DNA."

"Hey!" He yelps, putting you in a headlock and knuckling the top of your head. You squeal and try to bat him away, making a show of choking and pretending like you can't breathe. Not that he picks up on any of the hints.

"Never push me into your armpit again," you say queasily when he relinquishes you.

"What's wrong with ya? You could bottle up my sweat and sell it on the market for a fortune."

You scrunch your face up in disgust, Atsumu laughs loudly and fondly thinks that you look very cute like this.

"I'm glad we're okay again," you say, shocking him with your sincerity. He has to do a double take to ensure he's heard correctly, giving his head a quick shake.

"'Course we are. Can't stay mad at my girlfriend." He fully expects you to correct him, pleasantly surprised when you don't pick up on it.

"I'm sorry for being mean this morning too," you say. "You're right. I'll start taking this more seriously."

"That's a relief 'cause we have a practise match on Saturday which ya have to come to."

"I can't," you say, feigning upset. "I have a thing."

"What thing?"

"You know, a thing. It wouldn't interest you."

"Well ya hafta cancel it. It's part of our deal."

"No, Miya, I actually have a _thing_. I'm looking after my little brother all day."

Atsumu's eyes light up, suddenly looking excited. "Bring him too! Kids come to practise matches all the time!"

You shake your head vehemently. "No way."

"Aw c'mon! It'll be fun for him, right? Kids love that kinda thing."

You refrain from agreeing. Ever since your brother saw you and Suna have a one-on-one volleyball match in your back garden he's taken a keen interest in the sport, always nagging Suna to teach him and you to take him to the Inarizaki games. He'd be ecstatic to attend the practise match- and it would probably make him behave. It'd take up a large portion of the day so you wouldn't have to keep him entertained...

Atsumu sees your expression falter and grins. "So that's a yes?"

"I'll think about it," you say, though you've already made up your mind.

You guess it won't hurt as a one off.


	6. Chapter 6

The remainder of the week passes by uneventfully. You don't see much of Atsumu since all his free time is spent preparing for their match on Saturday, but you correspond over text on a night and that contact is enough for you.

You're grateful for the respite, you were feeling a little bit _too_ endeared by him the other day so you're glad you've been able to take a step back and collect your thoughts. You can't think of anything worse than accidentally falling for Atsumu when you know things between you two would never work in a real relationship, so in his absence you fall further into obsession with Suna which suits you perfectly.

Your parents leave early on Saturday morning, the practise match doesn't start until noon so you have a few hours to kill in between. You do your homework in the dining room while your little brother plays on his gaming console in the lounge, occasionally shouting at the TV in frustration causing your pen to skid across the paper as he catches you by surprise.

You shower and change before you leave, applying only a minimal amount of makeup since Atsumu is used to seeing you barefaced every day at school. You still haven't broken the news to your brother. You don't _think_ he'll mind, but he's currently very engrossed in his video game.

"Turn it off," you instruct from the doorway. "We're going out."

"Ugh!" He throws his head back with a dramatic groan. "I don't wanna."

"Yeah you do, we're going to watch a volleyball game."

He gasps in surprise, turning his whole body to face you and excitedly bouncing on his knees. "Are you serious? You're not just saying that to get me to go grocery shopping, are you?"

"We're really going," you nod, smiling. "Go and get changed, we have to be there for twelve."

You've never seen him so obedient. He leaps up from the sofa and whizzes past you in a blur, thundering up the stairs and giggling to himself. While he gets changed, you turn all the electronics off and ensure all the doors and windows are locked before you leave. You have no idea the match will last, only ever having been to one before, afterwards you swore to Suna you would never attend another one. Hopefully another fact that will make him jealous.

"Will Suna be there too?" Haru asks, grabbing your hand as you lock the front door behind you, then triple checking it.

"Of course, he's on the team too."

"Did he invite us today?"

You ponder over this query, before slowly nodding your head. Haru is too excited to notice your hesitance, bounding along beside you and getting distracted when a woman with a dog walks past.

"Sure, let's go with that," you agree. What he doesn't know won't hurt him. You don't plan on actually speaking to any of the players, you'll leave the match as soon as it's over to avoid any awkward encounters. Haru will never know. The last thing you want to do is get him embroiled in you and Atsumu's mess.

Because he's so excited, Haru is actually very well behaved which, perhaps unreasonably, annoys you. Why is he never this respectful usually? Why does volleyball have to be the only thing that makes him listen to you? Still, no matter how angelic he is, you vow you will never take him to another practise match again. You'll try to limit his exposure to Atsumu as much as possible.

By the time you both arrive, there's people already heading into the gym even though there's ten minutes until the actual game begins. The visiting team are warming up on the court, a few of their supporters fill up one end of the stands; it mainly looks like younger people who are friends of the players. The same could be said for the Inarizaki stand, the majority of seats are taken up by students and a few family members. None of Suna's family are present, considering he never tells them when his games are because he doesn't like making a fuss. You can't recognise anyone who has the same features as the Miya's, so you don't have to worry about accidentally bumping into Atsumu's parents.

Even though it's not an official match, there's still an abundance of fangirls. You recognise a few of them as Atsumu and Osamu's biggest supporters, they sometimes follow the twins around school. Atsumu basks in the adoration while Osamu shrinks away from it, hiding in the shadows and ducking into empty rooms to avoid them. You don't know whether the news has reached them about Atsumu's new girlfriend, you just hope they don't hold it against you.

It isn't long before the Inarizaki team appear and the match begins. You've never known your brother so silent; he watches the game with the utmost of concentration, eyebrows furrowed as his eyes quickly dart from each end of the court, mouth open in awe whenever someone pulls of a particularly impressive manoeuvre and gasping occasionally when something exciting happens. In a weird way, it's actually quite sweet. You, however, are not so easily entertained. By the end of the first set you're bored stiff and shuffling impatiently in your seat. Haru keeps scolding you to sit still, the role reversal highly amusing.

"Suna is so cool," your little brother breathes. "So is the blonde guy. His serves are amazing!"

"What?" You don't like this at all. "The blonde guy isn't that good. What about the ace? Or the grey haired guy?"

Haru purses his lips in consideration. "Yeah, the ace is cool too. But the blonde guy is the best- don't tell Suna I said that," he adds quickly.

This is probably why Atsumu was so adamant you brought Haru. So he would gain another devoted disciple.

To your utter horror, the game lasts six long, agonising sets and finishes halfway through the afternoon so half of your Saturday has been snatched from you. As soon as the referee declares Inarizaki as the winners, you grab Haru's hand and yank him up from his seat, much to his protest. You highly doubt anyone will notice you leaving judging by how hard they're celebrating on the court. If you can just slip out of the gym without anyone noticing you, or Haru attracting attention to himself-

"Y/N!" Atsumu yells. You freeze in place, feeling like someone has injected ice into your veins. Squeezing your eyes shut, you take an infinitesimal moment to weigh up your options; you can either respond to Atsumu's call or you can dash out of the doors (so close it feels like they're taunting you) and pretend you never heard him.

However, Haru doesn't give you that option.

"You know the setter, Y/N?" He asks, looking up at you in awe.

"No," you say quickly, brain not connecting with your mouth. "He must be shouting for someone else."

"He's waving at you!" Haru stands on his tiptoes and waves back excitedly, causing you to hit him around the back of the head in a panic. Your eyes go wide once you realise what you've done.

"Ow! What did you do that for?" He whines, looking wounded.

"Don't wave at strangers," you hiss. "Just ignore him and-"

Before you can sprint out, Atsumu comes jogging over to you with a frown. "Didn't ya hear me?" He demands, sounding out of breath. He _has_ just completed six gruelling sets.

"Nope. Must've missed you."

He sends you a weird look and you ignore it. It's almost a relief that Haru is there to dissolve the sudden awkward onslaught of tension.

"You were so cool out there!" Your little brother bounces on the ball of his feet. "You hit the ball like _wham_! And then you dumped it over and the opposite team was all like _ahh_! A-and you served it like _crash_!" He leaps up to imitate one of Atsumu's jump serves. The blonde boy is watching him in amusement.

"You've got a good eye for the game, kid," he crouches down to your brother's eye level. "What's yer name?"

"Haru!" He declares proudly, then looks at you worriedly. "Y/N said I'm not allowed to give my name to strangers."

Atsumu throws his head back and laughs. "Strangers? I'm her boyfriend!"

Time slows to a complete standstill as you're left staring at Atsumu in slack-jaw horror. It feels like you're tumbling down a precipice, the corners of your vision turning black and tightening like a tunnel until all you can see is a speck of light the size of a pinhead. Your heart thumps so rapidly in your chest it's in danger of bursting out, blood roaring in your ears completely drowning out any thoughts. You're vaguely aware of your brother turning to you with a wide-eyed, astonished stare. All you can focus on is trying not to faint.

"You said you didn't know him!" Haru looks outraged.

"I-I," you stutter, completely at a loss as to what to say. You could _kill_ Atsumu. This was absolutely _not_ part of the deal.

"Yeah," Atsumu puts his hand on his hips and raises his eyebrows at you. "Why _did_ you say that, Y/N?"

He is _so_ dead.

"I didn't want to rush into anything," you say weakly. Haru is only young, he'll never know. "We've only been dating for a week."

"A week?" Your brother gasps. "You've had a boyfriend that long and haven't told any of us?"

"You'll understand when you're older, Haru."

"Were you the one who invited us today?" He turns to Atsumu, who nods proudly.

"That's right. Wanted to meet you in person myself." He gently pinches Haru's cheeks, causing him to giggle shyly. Traitor! He never lets you fuss over him like that!

"Haru, this is Atsumu. My boyfriend," you motion with your hands, unable to elaborate.

"Nice to meet you," Atsumu bows lowly, making your heart twinge with affection. Haru looks delighted, his little face lighting up like a beacon. He bows too, grinning at the older boy. You can already tell this duo is going to be trouble.

"Say, after I get changed, d'ya wanna get ice cream or something?" Atsumu offers.

Haru gasps in excitement, whirling around and grabbing your hand, tugging impatiently. "Please say yes, Y/N! Please, please, please!"

"I don't know," you falter, gaze sliding over to Suna who, judging by the look on his face, has been watching the whole thing. Haru is meant to be _his_ adoring follower.

"Yeah, c'mon, Y/N," Atsumu says teasingly. "I'll even pay."

You cock your eyebrow in his direction. He must really want to impress your little brother, for what reason you cannot fathom. You're not stupid, you know not to waste an opportunity like this.

"Okay," you give in. "But hurry up. No messing around in the locker room."

"Yes. Ma'am!" He salutes, sending your little brother into a fit of laughter. You drag him out of the gym and let Atsumu get ready for your impromptu ice cream venture.

"I like him," Haru sighs dreamily.

"More than Suna?" You ask curiously.

Haru taps his chin thoughtfully. "Hm. I'm not sure yet. I'll have to see."

This really isn't a good sign.

***

Atsumu takes you both to an ice cream shop on the high street that you've always wanted to visit but never had the chance, always nagging Suna to go with you but he could never be bothered to make the effort to walk all that way. You try not to make comparisons between the two boys, but right now, Atsumu is certainly ticking more boxes; for both you _and_ Haru.

When he tells Haru he can get whatever he wants, you swear you see your brother fall in love with him right there and then. You can't even protest because you're so touched that Atsumu is making such an effort to make a good impression. You'll worry about the aftermath of this later, deciding you want to enjoy this while you can, already knowing it'll be a one off.

Atsumu is in a good mood, riding on the high of today's victory, explaining his sudden generosity and attitude towards you. He continues teasing you, but only gently in a way that makes you roll your eyes and scoff while also increasing your heart rate. You also manage to have a civil conversation about volleyball, you can count the amount of those you've had on one hand. You don't like the way you're warming up to him. Atsumu is meant to be a thorn in your side and the means to an end- you're not supposed to enjoy your time together and think about how, underneath the abrasiveness, he's quite sweet really. This is possibly the worst thing that could happen to you.

Like he knows what he's doing, Atsumu only keeps making it worse.

You sit together on one side of the booth while Haru occupies the opposite bench, swinging his legs and happily digging into his carton of double scoop ice cream (Rocky Road and salted caramel, Atsumu recommended it and of course his newest fan obeyed) looking out of the window at the passers-by on the street. You're so intent on watching your brother that you don't notice Atsumu moving to put his arm around you until you feel the heavy weight of it on your shoulder.

You jerk back in surprise and hiss, "What are you doing?"

He gives you a flat look. "Being your boyfriend?" He says, like it's the most natural thing in the world. "Stop being so tense. It's like hugging a brick wall."

"What did I say was part of our agreement?" You ask lowly, not wanting Haru to overhear.

"You haven't said anythin' yet so I thought ya didn't mind." He starts pulling away. "You coulda told me I was oversteppin' yer boundaries."

"Yeah, well, you're not this time so put your arm back around me," you grumble, unable to meet his eye. Maybe if you had you would've seen the broad smile threatening to crack his face in half. He rests his arm back on your shoulder and you don't utter another word of protest.

"Can I get a picture to put on Snapchat?" Atsumu asks, bringing his phone out of his pocket.

You expect him to just take a photo of your ice cream containers, now half empty, so you're surprised when he snaps a sneaky photo of you, only just catching the flash in your peripheral vision.

"Does it look okay?" You ask, resting the plastic spoon on your tongue and sucking the remainder of ice cream off.

Atsumu looks strained, averting his eyes. "Uh-huh." 

"You're actually being bearable today," you remark, unable to hide the surprise in your tone. "I like it."

"Whaddya mean?" He demands. "I'm always bearable- I'm a delight."

Now it's your turn to give him a flat look. "If you find me anyone else in the world who agrees with that statement I might be inclined to agree."

"Aran thinks I am."

You snort so hard you start choking. "He does _not_!"

"What?" The blonde boy pouts. "Nah, yer all wrong. Aran definitely likes me. I'm his favourite on the team."

"I can't tell if your lack of awareness is terrifying or admirable."

"What's that supposed ta mean?" He asks, taking his fingers and smearing ice cream on your cheek. You squeal in shock, recoiling from the assault as he bends over the table and cracks up laughing. Of course Haru joins in, giggling hysterically and taking great joy in saying how stupid you look.

There's no napkins on the table much to your annoyance. When you point this out to Atsumu, he sports his familiar cheeky grin and offers, "I could lick it off?"

"Don't be so disgusting!" You snap, shoving his shoulder. "Get me some napkins _now_."

He does so without needing to be told twice, normally you would consider this as odd but you don't give it a second thought. He comes back with a whole handful, making a show of delicately dabbing at your face and teasing you every step of the way.

"You should be thankful Haru is here so I couldn't get violent," you warn, throwing a balled up napkin in Atsumu's face. Instead of being irritated he simply laughs.

"Pretty sure I saw ya smackin' him round the head earlier."

You feign innocence, knitting your eyebrows. "It must've been someone else."

Like you are already thinking, Atsumu is currently agonising over how he shouldn't be enjoying this time with you so much; that he shouldn't be expectantly waiting for the next time you can both hang out _alone_ (no offence to the kid, Atsumu has grown very fond of him) because this is a very risky game he's playing. You're Suna's. This has been written in stone since you were practically in the womb. And he's not one to interfere with fate.

But as he watches you talk to your brother, with the slightest smear of ice cream on your cheekbone that he purposely missed, he allows himself to believe that this is real. If only for a fleeting moment.

***

You think you've bribed Haru into silence, warning him on the walk home that if he breathed a word about Atsumu to your parents that he would never be allowed to spend time with the blonde boy again, which terrified him. It's bad enough your little brother knowing about Atsumu, you couldn't bear it if your parents became entangled in your agreement too. By limiting the amount of people that know about it, the less intense the fallout will be once you decide to call it off.

Of course, things never work in your favour.

You're all sat around the dinner table that night while your parents inquire about your day, asking whether you and your little brother did anything fun. You mention the volleyball match and explicitly say that Suna invited you, deviating the conversation as your mother begins asking all about your childhood best friend since she hasn't seen him in a while. This serves as a good distraction, you stall for time and keep babbling about Suna so Haru doesn't have the opportunity to open his fat mouth and say something he shouldn't.

"Are you okay, Haru?" Your stepfather asks, noticing the boy is uncharacteristically quiet over dinner, pushing his food around his plate without eating it.

"I'm not hungry," he shrugs. "We got ice cream after the volleyball game."

You grin sheepishly as your mother fixes you with a stern stare. "Sorry. He was really well behaved at the game and I wanted to treat him."

Your mom sighs, knowing she can't scold you for taking care of your little brother in their absence. She's always nagging you to be more hands-on and involved in Haru's life, neither you or your little brother really agree with this sentiment.

"What did you have?" Ichiro, your stepfather, asks conversationally.

"Y/N got her favourite but _I_ tried Rocky Road and caramel. Atsumu told me to get it."

You freeze in horror, chopsticks halfway to your mouth as you send your little brother a desperate, wide-eyed stare, silently urging him to backtrack and distract your parents from what's just spewed out of his mouth. Maybe if you're lucky they won't have been paying much attention and haven't even picked up on it.

"Atsumu?" Your mom asks, knitting her eyebrows together. "Who's that?"

"Y/N's boyfriend!"

You gulp as your parents eyes land on you, shrinking under the magnitude of their stares. You offer an awkward smile, too mortified to think of anything to say. No words will rectify this announcement.

"Since when did you have a boyfriend?" Ichiro asks.

"They've been dating for two weeks on Monday!" Haru announces proudly. "See, Y/N, I _do_ listen when you tell me stuff."

_Just not the_ **_right_ ** _things, you little shit._

"And you never told us?"

"Yeah," you say awkwardly. "It's nothing serious which is why I didn't mention it. I was waiting until we'd been dating a while longer, y'know?"

"What's his full name? What's his mother called? Where does he go to school? How did you meet him? Was he nice to Haru?" Your mother reels off these inquiries without even pausing for breath.Your head is spinning.

"His name is Miya Atsumu. I don't know what his mom is called. He goes to Inarizaki. We met through Suna and yes, he was nice to Haru."

"Suna?" Ichiro repeats, looking surprised. "I thought you were in love with him, not this other boy?"

You sigh. This is exactly why you didn't want them to find out. They know how long you've been infatuated with your best friend, so to them it seems unrealistic you would completely move onto another boy and forget all about Suna.

"I knew it wasn't going anywhere so when Atsumu asked me out I thought 'why not?'," you play it off casually, despite your heart hammering in your throat. If they look at you anymore scrutinising then they'll see right into your soul.

"When do we get to meet him then?" Your mom asks, causing you to choke.

"It's a bit soon to be asking that!"

"He's met Haru," she points out.

"That was... accidental."

"It was," Haru nods. "She pretended she didn't know him at first."

"I-I'll think about it," you say quickly, wanting to move on. If you're lucky (which you highly doubt since you haven't been having a lot of it lately) they'll completely forget about Atsumu and never ask after him again.

Besides, if they ever _do_ remember him, you'll be able to tell them you called it off and by then you'll happily be with Suna once he realises his true feelings for you.

It'll all work out. It has to.


	7. Chapter 7

Your second week of being Atsumu's fake girlfriend goes similarly to the first. You eat lunch outside every day, you attend volleyball practise, he walks you to school and in between that you squabble, get on each other's nerves and realise how much you dislike him in the aftermath.

He brings you lunch one day and that does an effective job of sweetening you up for the whole afternoon, so much so that he recoils and says he's creeped out you're being so nice to him- earning him a clip round the back of the head.

As part of your one date a week policy, Atsumu asks if you can go to the local library on Saturday afternoon and help him study for an upcoming test on Monday. As much as you'd like to protest, he _has_ been keeping his end of the bargain so you must fill in yours too. If you're studying then that minimises the amount you have to talk to him, able to concentrate on your own work instead. It's the perfect set up.

You meet him there at noon, surprised he's the first one there since he has a bad habit of being late to everything. Despite him promising to never be late again, he broke this practically the day after he so boldly declared it; you've become so accustomed to it now you no longer say anything. In fact, you take it for granted that he'll be five or ten minutes late to everything which is why you take it into account when you agree to meet him somewhere.

"You're early," you remark.

He rolls his eyes. "Don't start."

"Have you seen any pigs flying past while you've been stood there?"

"Shut yer trap before I go home."

" _You're_ the one who needs help studying. You should be a bit nicer to me if you want to pass that test on Monday."

He clamps his lips together so tightly they turn white, his cheeks going a furious shade of pink. You bite back a laugh as you watch him so viscerally try to keep his irritation at bay. With a jerky wave of his hand, he motions for you to go inside first. He sticks his tongue out at the back of your head when you're not looking, pulling the most grotesque face he can manage.

"I saw that," you deadpan without turning around. Atsumu recoils, blood turning icy. Although he'd never admit it, you're one of the only people in the world that intimidates him; but because you have enough leverage over him, he will never, ever admit to this.

You lead him over to a quiet alcove right at the back of the library, away from everyone else. Because it's a Saturday there's a lot of students here and the last thing you want to do is disrupt them because Atsumu doesn't understand what an inside voice is. Also if you're over here it shouldn't attract the attention of any wandering librarians, they're always on the prowl looking to scold young people. You just want this afternoon to be over with as quickly and painlessly as possible.

You sit down at the small table and get out your textbooks while Atsumu rummages around in his bag for a pencil, before sheepishly asking if you if he can borrow one. You throw it at his forehead and he yelps in pain, causing you to grin when you see the grey spot the lead made.

"So violent," he mutters, pulling his chair in and accidentally brushing his thigh against yours. You try not to give a physical reaction, keeping your face straight but your thigh twitches on it's own accord. Perhaps you should've picked a bigger table to put as much distance between you as possible. Because now the blonde boy is breathing right down your neck and it's _very_ distracting for all the wrong reasons.

"What exactly do you need help with?" You prompt.

"Everythin'."

You roll your eyes. "You're not _dumb_ , Miya. Even you can manage to study for yourself."

"Literature," he grumbles. You don't hear him the first time, cupping your ear and asking him to repeat himself.

"Literature!" He snaps. "I don't understand this stupid book."

"The Hungry Caterpillar is often regarded as a profound, complicated text."

He glares at you and says, "Yer not funny," as you crack up laughing at your own joke. "Will ya help me or not? Or should I just tell Suna yer a loser who can't admit their feelings so-"

He's silenced by you slapping your hand across his mouth. You hiss at him to be quiet, leaping back in horror when he licks a wide stripe across your palm. You clutch your hand to your chest and give him a look of loathsome disgust. Atsumu's smirk is infuriatingly smug.

"You're disgusting."

"And you don't wash yer hands." He wrinkles his nose. "Gross."

You could so easily sit and squabble with him all day. You get the feeling he's deliberately distracting you so he doesn't have to do any work. With all of the mental fortitude you possess, you inhale deeply and try to ground yourself before speaking to him again.

"Get your books out," you instruct.

Atsumu complies, handing over the book he's supposed to be studying and the notebook where all of his notes have been jotted down. You're surprised at the amount of work he's done already, confused as to why he needs further help when it seems like he has it covered. Glancing at him curiously, he rubs the back of his neck as if he can read your mind.

"I find it easier revisin' with someone," he admits.

"Okay," you nod. "I'll make you some flashcards after I've read through your notes. We haven't read this book in my class so I'm clueless."

"Cool. Want me to get ya a water from the vending machine or somethin'?"

"No, I'm okay," you say slowly, surprised at his consideration.

Atsumu goes off to get a drink while you scan through his notes, surprised at the detailing and effort he's put into it. Atsumu isn't dumb, his mouth is just careless; academically, he's actually quite smart. This only becomes more evident as you read further into his notebook. He's been analysing passages of the book and you're surprised at how astute some of his observations are, picking up on things you would never have thought of.

When he comes back, you give him his work back and begin writing out some flashcards. Because you're so used to revising- by yourself and with others- this isn't a difficult task. Atsumu's attention is on highlighting a certain excerpt that he hasn't looked through yet, the tip of his tongue poking out the corner of his mouth in concentration. Even though you're trying to focus, your gaze keeps getting drawn to the oddly cute gesture. All the anger you felt at him from earlier has completely vanished, as it always does.

You can never stay mad at him for long.

After around half an hour, you begin quizzing him on some of the questions you thought up; what character says this, what scene did this event take place in, explain the symbolism of this description. At first Atsumu finds it a little hard to concentrate, flustered by your sudden undivided attention. You manage to snap him out of it with a few stern words and from then he begins taking it seriously.

He manages to answer nearly every question correctly, the ones he gets wrong he frowns and requests that you ask about it later, refusing to accept defeat. You like this studious side to him; he's so preoccupied that he's completely forgotten that his sole goal is to make your life a misery.

"Is there any reason you're trying hard for this test?" You make conversation during one of your breaks.

"I need good grades unless I can't go to training camp in May," he answers.

You'd completely forgotten about the volleyball camp that takes place over Golden Week. It always come with a price, and that price is the volleyball team must maintain grades above a certain average otherwise they're not allowed to go. Last year, one of the third years was banned from going and he actually broke down crying in front of the principal, begging him to reconsider the decision. Suna took great delight in telling you this story, adding his own petty comments since he despised the third year blocker.

"Oh," is all you say, picking a piece of lint off your sweater. The silence between you isn't uncomfortable, it never has been. In fact, you enjoy these tranquil moments where Atsumu isn't running his mouth- welcoming the serenity.

"Who do you usually study with when I'm not there?" You question.

"Used ta be 'Samu but he said I was too annoyin'," the blonde twin grumbles. "Now I just do it on my own. So I'm glad you agreed to help."

You give him a small smile. "Well, when you're not being unbearably annoying I don't mind helping you."

Atsumu scoffs. "Me? Annoyin'? Get yer head out yer ass, Y/N."

And there he goes.

***

Your study session resumes for the remainder of the afternoon, both of you losing track of time until Atsumu checks his phone and exclaims that it's after four pm. Weirdly enough, spending time with him has gone very quickly, as opposed to the minutes dragging by like they usually do. You tell yourself this is because you were so busy working that you didn't even notice. There's no way there's any other reason.

"Wanna get something to eat?" Atsumu offers casually as you're getting your phone from your bag. His proposition leaves you so wrong-footed that you freeze completely, looking up at him with your hand still shoved in your bag.

"Haven't we already had our obligatory date of the week?"

Atsumu laughs. "If you think a guy bringin' ya to the library is a date then you've got some pretty low standards, Y/N."

"Hm." You work over the suggestion in your mind as you get your phone, unlocking it and your heart jumping when you see you have a text notification from Suna.

_Rinrin: do you want to come over for dinner tonight?_

Suppressing your excitable squeal, you reply back saying you'd love to without a second thought. All the while Atsumu is looking at you hopefully.

"I still don't have an answer," he says sarcastically.

You look confused. "To what?"

"About dinner."

"Oh." You shake your head. "I can't tonight. My mom said I have to be home."

"Oh, okay," he nods, trying not to seem too crestfallen. "Maybe another time?"

"Whatever," you say, hardly even listening to him. Atsumu can tell you're distracted and wants to know what you saw on your phone that has yanked you away from him. He just _knows_ it's Suna.

"Want me to walk ya to the bus stop?"

You turn to him with a frown and say, "Stop being clingy, Atsumu. It's annoying."

Atsumu is at a loss for words. Never has he been turned down like that, not by a girl, not by _anyone_. The rejection leaves him feeling stung, looking up at you with puppy eyes as he wonders why the hell everything is suddenly going wrong.

You grab your bag and race out of the library without so much as another word, completely leaving Atsumu behind in the dust. He always thought he was glad to see the back of you, but now, it really hurts.

***

Instead of getting off at your usual stop, you get off at the stop that's nearest to Suna's house, thankfully only at the end of his street. Since it's nearly time for dinner (the Suna family always eat early) you decide you may as well go straight there. It'll give you some alone time with your best friend before his family intervenes.

You don't even give Atsumu a second thought as you walk through the neighbourhood, too excited at the prospect of spending the evening with Suna. You can't remember the last time you had dinner at one another's houses, probably back before spring break. It's nice to know they haven't forgotten about you.

Even though Suna's family told you long ago to drop all formalities and treat their house like your own, you still knock on the front door and take a polite step back as you wait for someone to answer. While you wait, you admire Suna's dad's plants on the porch. He's a very keen gardener and always tries to persuade Suna to help him, which is when your best friend conveniently slinks away to your house and hides out there until the end of the day.

The door is thrown open, revealing Suna's little sister on the threshold. She grins widely, showing two gaps in her front teeth. She'd never lost a tooth the last time you saw her, just how long has it been?

"Y/N!" She exclaims, barrelling into your torso and squeezing you into a tight hug. With a breathy laugh, you hug her back with equal vigour, telling her how good it is to see her again and that she's gotten taller since you last saw her.

"I'm one hundred and thirty-eight centimetres now!" She declares proudly. "I'll soon be taller than Rin!"

"Shut up, Ena," Suna says from the foot of the stairs, having appeared from his room when he heard the knock on the door. You were so caught up in the whirlwind that is his little sister you completely bypassed him. "Quit annoying Y/N."

"I'm not annoying her!" She protests, looking up at you with doe eyes. "Right, Y/N?"

You pat her head with a smile and say, "You could never annoy me, Ena."

She sticks her tongue out at her older brother who responds with an eye roll.

"You shouldn't encourage her," he says to you, and you make a show of looking innocent. Ena races out of the hallway to tell her parents you've arrived. "Her manners are really bad lately."

"I can't imagine where she gets it from."

Suna grabs you by the waist and pretends to haul you out of the door, you squeal in protest and grab onto his shoulders even though you're totally limp in his grip. You're embarrassed when his parents happen to walk in at this very moment, while his arm is looped around your torso and you're holding onto his shoulders for purchase. You wiggle out of his grip and smooth your clothes down, trying to look more presentable and less guilty.

You bow lowly in greeting, when you straighten up they all smother you into a bone-crushing hug that nearly suffocates you. Even _Suna_ joins in, albeit looking reluctant.

His mom holds you at arms length, eyes searching your face as she offers you a warm smile. You've always considered Suna's mom to be your second mother, and she always reminds you that you _should_ think this because it's true. In times of crisis, you have often turned to her for advice or a maternal shoulder to cry on.

"It's so good to see you again, Y/N. You get prettier every time I see you. Doesn't she look pretty, Rin?"

"No," Suna says bluntly, earning him a clip round the ear from both you and his mother, simultaneously hitting the back of his head. He grumbles and rubs the back of his skull, muttering how you've _always_ been this pretty.

Suna's father is much quieter than his sociable wife, hence where Suna gets his reserved nature from. The women in the family are much more convivial. You know in his own way that his father cares about you, evident in the subtle smile and bow he offers you. He's a man of little words, much like his son, so you don't take offence.

Ena tugs the end of your arm and asks if you want to play with her new dollhouse in her room but Suna shoos her away, telling her to play by herself. She pouts and clings to her mother's leg, demanding that she makes her older brother apologise for being mean.

"We're going upstairs," Suna announces, grabbing your hand and begins pulling you up the stairs before he can be subject to one of his mother's lectures. His parents don't even bother telling him to leave the door open. Both of your families trust you explicitly.

You wonder if they still would if they knew your true feelings about their son?

Suna has tidied his room in anticipation of your arrival; finally moving all the clean clothes off his chair and into the closet, tidying his overcrowded desk, arranging his school books back on his bookshelf and making his bed. You walk around the room and point out every fault you can with it, causing Suna to throw his head back and groan louder each time.

Eventually, you throw yourself onto his bed with a sigh of relief, grateful to finally be off your feet. Suna copies your action and falls down beside you.

You roll over to face him, comfortably curling into a ball and smiling at him. Once again, he mirrors your actions, resting his hand under his cheek and watching you. You take a moment to admire how beautiful his eyes are, as he blinks sleepily with long eyelashes fluttering. Your heart skips several beats.

"How was your day?" You ask conversationally.

"It was okay. I was studying for most of it. I would've asked if you wanted to come over but I didn't want you to feel like I was taking advantage of you."

You wrinkle your nose. "Since when have you cared about that before?"

He pretends to swat you in mock irritation, you giggle and grab his wrist, feeling electric currents when you touch his skin. You've always wondered if he feels them too, whether his heart picks up whenever you're around or if he also finds it hard to breathe when you're close to him.

"I wish you _had_ invited me," you say. "I was at the library studying today too." You omit the part where Atsumu was involved. The blonde boy has quickly become a bone of contention between the two of you.

Suna shrugs. "I didn't know whether you'd be with Atsumu. Wouldn't want to get in the way of one of your dates."

He doesn't outwardly sound disapproving, but his eyebrows dip imperceptibly- unnoticeable for someone who doesn't know him inside out- but you do, and you've studied his face for years. He's bothered about this.

"You know when you asked who I'd pick if I had a boyfriend?" You remind him. "That still hasn't changed. Just call me and I'll be there- whether I'm with Atsumu or doing anything else."

Perhaps you shouldn't be making declarations like this when you have a so-called boyfriend, your words are extremely suspect and make you sound disloyal. But this is Suna you're talking to, your oldest friend, the whole reason you're involved in this entanglement with Atsumu in the first place. If you can make your feelings for your best friend a bit clearer then maybe Suna will come to his own understanding, that it's _you_. It always has been.

"You're too good for him," Suna says quietly, never breaking eye contact. He knows that Atsumu is going to ruin you, that's just the type of person he is; he takes and takes with little regard to how anyone else is feeling, opposed to you who gives out so much until you're hollow and have nothing left. It's a terrible match and Suna wants to shake some sense into you but doesn't want to be accused of trying to control your life. Some things people need to figure out themselves.

You shuffle closer to him on the bed so your knees are touching, faces only centimetres apart. Your gaze flickers over every inch of his face before landing back on his eyes. He's been watching you the whole time too.

"Are you really worried about me, Rin?" You ask softly.

He nods, reaching up to play with the strand of hair laying across your cheek. He twirls it thoughtlessly around his finger, mulling over his response.

"Yeah," he says simply. "You don't really like him, right?"

You bite your lip. You could so easily admit to Suna your true feelings and why you've been doing this, you don't think he'd push you away or mock you for it. It's obvious how much he cares about you, something like this wouldn't destroy your friendship. But things are so uncertain you just _can't_. You don't want to take the risk. Suna's protectiveness, while could be misconstrued as jealousy, is probably just the concern of a lifelong best friend, stemming from his deep rooted platonic affection for you. If he had a girlfriend you didn't approve of, regardless of whether you were in love with him, you'd feel the same way. When you love people like the way you and Suna love each other, you never want to see them hurt.

"I _do_ like him," you have to force out, the words feeling like acid on your tongue. "I don't know why, I just do."

"Couldn't you have at least picked Osamu? He's a better guy," Suna tries to joke. Why does he feel like crying?

 _Believe me_ , you think. _I really wish I_ ** _had_** _propositioned him instead of his brother_.

"I'm not known for having good taste," you grin, pointedly looking at him.

Suna sits up and grabs one of his pillows, whacking you across the head with it. You squeal and curl up into a ball to try and soften the blows of his assault. Even when you beg for a truce he doesn't relent, tossing the pillow aside and tickling your neck.

"Rin! Stop!" You gasp in between giggles, half-heartedly trying to push him away. "Ouch!"

Suna stops dead when he hears you whimper, heart sinking as you pull a face of pain and clutch your hand to your chest. With a sniff, you roll on your side and refuse to look at him, shoulders shaking with what he assumes are tears.

"Y/N?" He asks. "Are you okay? Where did I hurt you? Do I need to get the first aid kit?"

Suna would never deliberately hurt you and he feels terrible. Sometimes he forgets that he's no longer a little kid and that play fighting now he's a lot bigger can have consequences. He often forgets his own strength, so wrapped up in spending time with you that everything else vacates his brain.

He leans forward, his face only inches away from yours as he tries to assess the damage. Gently, he reaches to take your hand and inspect it.

The moment he has his guard down, you rear upright and shove him by his shoulders so he falls back onto the bed. In a flash, you're straddling him and pinning him down by his arms, holding them next to his head and grinning down at him.

"I win," you say smugly.

He gives you a cold look. "No you didn't, you tricked me."

"There isn't a rule book for these kind of things, Rin. You have to do what you have to do."

"I'm pretty sure cheating isn't allowed in any rule book."

"It's not cheating!" You snap. "Just admit that I win."

He stares at you for a long while before rolling his eyes and saying, "Fine. You win."

Smiling triumphantly, you sit beside him on the bed and giggle at his disgruntled expression. Two pink spots have bloomed on his cheeks and he's having a hard time looking you in the eye.

"I'm putting this on the chart when I get home."

"Whatever. I've won against you way more times."

"No you haven't!" You protest. "It's basically even now."

"Yeah, ever since you started cheating."

You pretend to punch him but before your fist can make contact, he grabs it with one of his large hands and stops it mid-trajectory. For a moment all you can do is stare down at your hand engulfed in his, heart leaping in your throat. This moment, more than any others, feelings strangely romantic. He's staring so deeply into your eyes it feels like he's looking into your soul.

However, he simply grabs your wrist and controls it so you end up punching yourself in the chin with your own fist.

"I win," he says smugly.


End file.
